DIPSTICK QUIZ

The Central Dogma of Biology describes the flow of information from the genetic code to its final product, usually a protein. What are the names of the two major phases of this process, in the proper order?

After an intense workout, your friend tells you to drink water and something with electrolytes in it. What are electrolytes and how are they used in the body?

Atoms are made of smaller particles. Which subatomic particle determines how an atom will react chemically?

For most people, 50%-60% of their body weight is water. What is the most common macromolecule in the remaining 40%-50%?

On Earth, all life forms are made of molecules that are based on one key element.  What element forms the backbone of large molecules in all cells? 

Glucose is an energy-storing molecule that can be broken down in our bodies, but it can’t be used as an energy source for the individual reactions and cellular processes inside a cell. What is the name of the major energy molecule, or ‘energy currency’ of the cell?

The Sodium-Potassium pump is critical for many cellular functions, especially in excitable cells like muscles and neurons. It uses about 25% of the calories a human ingests to create a concentration gradient. What type of transport does the sodium-potassium pump use?

Cells are the basic unit of life – if it’s not made of cells, it’s not alive. What makes up most of the cell membrane that designates the outside from the inside of the cell?

The single most important job of a cell is to make proteins. Which organelle is responsible for assembling proteins?

Proteins provide structure and regulate chemical reactions. What organelle in cells holds the information that instructs a cell on what proteins to make?

The sun is the main source of energy for life on Earth because it powers photosynthesis. What type of organic, energy-storing molecule is made during photosynthesis?

We all start as one cell, a fertilized egg. The average adult human has about 37 trillion cells in their body. What is the name of the process that separates the chromosomes when one cell divides into two identical cells, ensuring that each daughter cell receives a complete set of the DNA?

In humans, a person born a biological female typically receives one sex chromosome from her mother and one sex chromosome from her father. What are these chromosomes?

Deoxyribonucleic acid holds the genetic information on how to make our bodies. What are the symbols for the four nitrogenous bases found in DNA and what do they pair with?

When a cell is preparing to divide it must copy all its DNA. Sometimes, a mistake is made during this process that changes the DNA code.  What term best describes this type of mistake?